When was the last time you went to an arcade? When you went, was it for a party or to hang out with your friends? For some, going means collecting some tickets to turn in for prizes, for others, it can simply mean trying to get the highest score so they can get their names next to it, and for some it can be merely creating their own arcade experience in their own home. But does the developer, Nosebleed Interactive, and publisher, Wired Productions, give us the nostalgia of the 90s? Let’s find out with Arcade Paradise VR for Quest 3.
Enter the virtual realm in Arcade Paradise VR, transporting you back to 1993 for an all-new immersive experience oozing with retro-fuelled gaming nostalgia. Taking you on an empowering journey from rags to riches, Arcade Paradise is an adventure and light-management sim combo game where you transform the decrepit King Wash laundromat into a thriving business.
So before trying to rule the Arcade, there are some things that you should be aware of. First, make sure you have some room. You don’t want to hit something while trying to get to play your games. Second, make sure your headset and controllers are all charged. You don’t want to get close to beating that high score only for your headset to close down because you forgot to charge now, do you? Third, I will not be spoiling anything for anyone. Part of the fun is making your own arcade paradise. And finally, have some fun. Now, with all that said, let’s continue…
Now, before jumping right in, you may want to go into Settings to adjust some things. For example, if you like to read the subtitles, make sure you have those enabled. You may want to adjust your turning, how you will grip items, and even adjust your height. All the options are in your PDA, which you can adjust at any time. Once you have all your settings the way you think you like them, it’s time to enter the laundry mat. Now, this is not some run-of-the-mill laundromat, but this is a business that your father owns and wants you to run. Make something out of yourself and still earn money. Playing as Ashley, you will realize how your father wants you to run the place versus how you think the business should be run, but you just need a little guidance. Your father will tell you exactly what you need to do, which does have you earn money.
First, you will need to get used to running the place, so you will need to pick up any trash, once the trash gets full, you will have to throw it in the dumpster that is located on the outside of the building, put clothes in the washing machine at the right color match, along with putting the wet clothes in the dryer while not trying to damage any customer clothes, and putting the dry clothes on the counter for customers to pick up. How the clothes are handled, from throwing out the trash to matching the right color in the machine, will determine your rank. The better the rank, the better you get paid. You will also have other chores, such as cleaning the toilet and clearing out the money from not only the coin machine but all the hoppers of each of the arcade machines. Don’t worry if you are not sure what to do next as your watch will send you notifications to let you know.
These jobs you will need to repeat a lot, but it’s a quick way to earn money that you can build up as money will become important. When you have collected enough money, you will need to put that money into the safe of the manager’s office. Also, in the office, you will see a computer that you will be interacting with as you can use it to chat, buy new arcade games, and even expand the building that you are in. Speaking of games, each arcade machine will have its own goals for you to try to complete as well as leaderboards for you to try and climb. You start with three arcade machines for you to play, which you can play as many times as you like. Keep in mind that this is a throwback to the early 90s, so your arcade machines may not have the top-of-the-line graphics to start with, but some of these games are fun to play here as it is interesting when you think about what some of these games are based on, even when some of the games can be more challenging than others. But once you have earned enough from your daily duties and have earned enough money, you can buy new machines, which you will need to maintain. One thing you will need to keep in mind is that you cannot leave the laundromat for the day, until after 2:00 pm, otherwise, you will hear from your father. Once you are done for the day or if you bought a machine, you will have to go to the bus stop across the street. One interesting feature is that someone drops off new arcade machines for you in the morning. That’s a pretty cool feature, and it means there are always new things to play. Once a new arcade machine arrives in the morning, you will need to use your PDA to place it in an open slot.
Let’s talk about the graphics and sound. One thing I will say is that Arcade Paradise VR does both the graphics and sound very well. From the look of the laundromat as a whole to the overall look of the arcade. The sight of the neon lights illuminating your arcade, coupled with the opportunity to play the new game you had specially acquired, evoked a sense of nostalgia that I had longed for since my last visit to an arcade. The unique aesthetics and nostalgic sound effects in each game create an immersive experience that compels me to continue playing, eagerly anticipating what surprises await me. Moreover, the addition of leaderboards for each game further fuels my desire to keep playing and strive for higher achievements. But as a bonus, try the Mixed Reality mode where your games will appear in your room while you play them.
There are a few things that I would love to see. First, more ways to collect money. Sure, you can take out the garbage, maintain the washing and drying, and clean the toilet, but if I am going to collect money from the arcade machines, why not from the drink machines as well? I am sure people are getting drinks from the amount of trash that needs to be picked up every morning. This would just have been a bonus way of collecting money. And finally, more games. With the leaderboards, it would be fun to see the games keep coming. We could even offer weekly contests to those who rank in the top three each week, allowing them to play a specialized game as a reward.
Arcade Paradise VR does give us the nostalgia of the 90s while allowing us to work and play to earn the reward. In life, we may not always know what will work for us, but if we work hard and follow our passion, our dreams can become a reality.
Arcade Paradise VR is out now for the Quest 2, 3, & Pro on the Meta Store. A review code was provided.
To learn more about Nosebleed Interactive, please visit their site, like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
To learn more about Wired Productions, please visit their site, like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy. Until next time, I have some leaderboards to climb and games to add to my arcade.
